Health care facilities use articulated beds, i.e. beds with segments connected together at joints so that the angular orientation of the segments and/or the positions of the segments can be changed. These beds, or the jointed segments thereof, are customarily referred to as “articulating” or “articulable”. The term “articulation” is also routinely used to refer to the motion of the segments, for example rotational motion of the segments about the joint axes and translational motion of the segments.
Articulation of the bed can cause the occupant of the bed to migrate toward the foot end of the bed. The need to reposition the migrated occupant adds to the workload of the caregiver staff. Moreover, the physical demands of repositioning the occupant can cause injury to the caregiver. The articulation can also cause chafing and abrasion of the occupant's skin.
It is, therefore, desirable to regulate the articulation in a way that resists the tendency of the occupant to migrate toward the foot of the bed.